The Asia – Pacific Regatta has been endorsed by the International committee and the winner will now have automatic qualification to the Worlds in 2010.
The response to the Regatta has been staggering , Despite securing 7 loan boats we still have more teams wanting a boat to compete in the Regatta. The finishing touches are being made to the NOR and this and the entry form will be released in several days.
We expect 20 plus entries and the figure is still growing. We have now secured billetting for 4 teams and working on billets for 2 more overseas teams.
In keeping with Continental Regattas there will be an old boats Perpetual trohpy.
The Asia – Pacific Winter Championships is the first J24 regatta on the Asian circuit with the next Regatta probably in Singapore in February. Our region is one of the last in the world to establish its own Continental Championship and Asia offers an exciting opportunity to sail at international level for little outlay.
There now look like being in excess of 20 entries with the hosts running out of loan boats and still trying to secure more billets. The standard of competition will be the best for many years in a J24 Australian held regatta .
Browse around the Regatta website for all the information and find out who has indicated they are coming in the competitors lisst.
Notice of Race to be released prior to Easter. Those who enter first will be allocated berths close to the clubhouse.
The J24 Tasmanian State Titles will be run in Hobart on Saturday February 28th and Sunday 1st March 2009.These will be conducted by the Royal Yacht Club Tasmania. Racing will consist of up to 7 windward/ leeward races commencing each day at 0955am each day.
Hot competition is expected between up to 9 boats racing on the Derwent River over the weekend.
Peter Gautschi on “Cio Cio San” will be bringing his boat from Cygnet, where he has been successful in summer racing.
John Lewis in “Drumbeat” will travel from his home of Geilston Bay to challenge the “Southerners”.
New owner Nathan Males in his “Storm Petrel” have shown much improvement over the summer season and are keen to take on the top boats. Gavin Adamson will swap his bigger boat “Fine Cotton”, to race “Poopseas” as the owner is overseas and unable to return in time to compete.
Craig Squires in “Divine Madness” has imported some interstate crew and purchased new sails for the Titles and is keen to do well.
Peter Bingham and his crew in “Streetcar” have been very consistent in their performances so far this summer and could be a strong contender for the title.
“Gridlock”, last year’s winner, will this year be under the control of Rohan Clark, rather than his Grandfather Des Clark. This crew is on a high after winning the lead up Sprint series run by DSS. They will be hard to beat.
Kaye Roberts, the only female skipper in the fleet, on Kaos, will be hoping to break the run of “always the bridesmaid” having come second in the State titles for the last few years. The crew have sailed to success in the RYCT Summer Pennant Series and have purchased some new sails to replace the rather tried ones they have had for the last four years.
Hobart has seen a rekindled interest in strict one design class racing by the International J24 keelboat class. This 24 foot keelboat has just celebrated its 31st anniversary as a class and numbers some 15,000 boats around the world and over 200 in Australia.
The strict one design class racing and affordability has lead to this revival of a formerly strong class in Hobart. Racing a J24 places strong emphasis on crew work, strategy and tactics. The boat is also an excellent day sailer and suitable for short overnight racing or long weekend regattas. The fleet in Hobart is sailed buy a wide ranging age-group. Some of the boats are owned by syndicates to make the boat even more affordable. The boats are usually raced with a maximum crew weight of 400 kg, for example four burly blokes or six petite ladies. The J24s are normally stored out of the water in cradles which ensures that even the older boats stay dry and remain competitive.
Class racing is conducted in Hobart by the Derwent Sailing Squadron and RYCT. The J24s also participate in racing held by other clubs on most days of the week proving the boats versatile nature.
J24 Tasmania can help anyone interested in purchasing a J24 for racing.
Anyone tired of arbitrary handicaps in yacht racing, looking for a cost effective strict one design racer and interested in participating in the class as either crew or even as an owner should contact j24tas@gmail.com or the class President: Kaye Roberts on 62435136.
The S.A. State Championships were held at Adelaide Sailing club and sailed in 4 – 8 knts most of the weekend with plenty of windshifts. There was plenty of close racing with several heats only being won by 1 second.
Good Company – Robin townsend and Vertigo – Jamie Goode were in the action all weekend but Fun2 consistantly played the shifts and kept to the middle of the coursre.
By the end of the Regatta Cookie Monster benefitted from being at the event and had wins on handicap on the last day
Congratulations to Fun2, skippered by Alyn Stevenson for the One Design AND Handicap wins!
Next years Nationals are coming to Melbourne, to be hosted by the Sandringham Yacht Club. Melbourne is famous for it’s great racing, great restaurants and will soon be well known for the newest clubhouse in Australia, all the more reason to come to Melbourne in January
Well, doesn’t get any smaller would be more accurate, but we do have a new skipper.
Ron Thomson, who has recently moved back to Melbourne from Sydney is our newest J owner, buying Kicking Bottom from Simon Grain.
Ron answered Simon’s online ad for a small keelboat to race, not knowing much about J24s at all. After a suitable gestation period – and some racing on the boat with Simon and crew, he has made the move to being our newest skipper.
Welcome Ron – hope you have a great time with the J!
The recent J24 Nationals had 2 unique entries this year with 2 all-girl teams lining up to give it to the guys. The Guys in typical fashion were cocky, totally dismissed the girls team in being anywhere in the fleet, and the general consensus was that they would be at the back of the fleet.
